So this if my first year burning and I've had three different guys deliver wood to me. The first was great but he ran out for the season. The other two both swore that the wood had been seasoning for more than a year, but when I read the MC I got 35% or higher. Does anyone know if there is a problem this year in ohio with seasoned wood given that it was the wettest summer on record ever up here?
North East Ohio Wet Summer
- Thread starter bainbridgematt
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
- Status
the entire NE has been wet since Sept. It is really hard to say, being you bought the wood off of somebody who 'said' it was seasoned......was it split a year ago or a week ago? Some people think that if it was cut a year ago, it has been seasoning for a year....WRONG! It needs to be split, stacked, and top-covered for a year to be seasoned for a year. Some species (like oak) take much longer, up to three years in some cases. There are a lot of variables that you need to take into account before you can consider it seasoned.....bainbridgematt said:
Scotty Overkill said:
Yeah that is what I figured. However I have no filled up my racks with 3 cords of wood that are going to have to season all summer. Trying to decide if I try and get another cord from someone else or what to do.
bainbridgematt said:
No. This year's no different than any other from the perspective of buying firewood. The problem lies with the firewood sellers...just like in every other year, regardless of the weather. Might as well take delivery and treat it as though you just split it...stack it and don't plan to burn it for a year or two. Rick
This is exactly why the guru's here all advise getting at least 2 years ahead with your wood. I think its safe to say that the vast majority of people selling "seasoned" firewood either have no clue what real seasoned wood is or deliberately lie about how seasoned the wood really is. In their book, wood that was cut and split a week ago is seasoned and good to go. Not trying to pick on people who sell firewood, but this is how a lot of these guys seem to operate.
Pat53 said:
Yep, a lot of them do, & we're banking on these guy's to make better business for us in the next few years. Best advice as stated above, buy a year or two in advance. Next best is to take a piece from the load before it's dropped, split it & test, if it ain't 20% send em back where they came from. A C
+1. Which is why I am THREE years ahead, soon to be four. When you get the wood, if it is already split, get it stacked and top covered. If you buy (or cut) rounds, split 'em and stack 'em ASAP. I try to split my wood as soon as I cut it, because its better to season it a s long as you can.Pat53 said:
if I were you find some standing dead stuff and cut it yourself (if that is an option) or find someone who sells wood and actually knows what seasoned wood is. Take your MM and a hatchet along with you when you buy the wood and test a piece or two. If it isn't in the 15-20% range you may want to stay away from it, if you are looking for wood to burn this year.bainbridgematt said:
It was a darn wet 2011, anything stored outdoors took longer to season. Anything seasoned and stored outdoors retained more moisture.
I think here in central PA my firewood didn't season quite as well this summer as it would have in a more average summer. Still, it seasoned OK and I am a few years ahead so most of it started the summer already pretty well seasoned. For me the worst part of the summer was the wet fall, which made the wood very damp in the early part of burning season. Overall I give the summer a C-.
around here people that sell so called seasoned wood are cutting dead standing trees in the morning an selling it in the same evening an calling it seasoned because it was dead , dead wood also soaks up water almost like a sponge if left out in the weather, standing or on the ground.
bainbridgematt said:
Welcome to the "never ending discussion about buying seasoned wood".
"If a tree (dead or alive) fell in the woods & a wood seller was near, is the wood they got from it seasoned & ready to sell tomorrow ?" :roll:
Wood sellers: 99.9% say "Yes"
hh: New wood burners say "If the seller says it seasoned, then it must be" :-S
:zip: 99% of Experienced wood burners say: "how long has it been Cut Split & stacked"? (CSS), "what type of wood is it"? "was it stacked, off the ground, in a single row, in the sun & wind for at least one year"? "Has that oak been 2 years CSS in single row in the sun & wind"? "Can I try a test burn in my stove to see how well it burns before I buy"?
Some say, "Seasoned eh?, Moisture meter reads 30% in the middle of a fresh split piece, I'm buying it for next year now so it will be seasoned & dry for next burn season. How about a price break"?
Some buy in the spring & properly season it themselves for the coming burn season. Sometimes can get a price break.
Some CSS their own, know which stacks will be ready for the coming season. Are 2, 3 or more years ahead & always on the look out for more to get CSS so it will be ready. (we are addicted)
So you opened the same can we all opened when we first started burning.
Here, we've learned allot.
Getting 1 or 2 years ahead (or more) & knowing how long the wood has been CSS, & the seasoning method, & type of wood is the key to burning dry wood.
Finding a wood seller that sells wood ready to burn is tough, when you do, always give them a good $$ tip. They are rare & should be treated well.
The guys who cut & sell fire wood, work hard for their money, it's hard work. Them having the room, time & take extra steps to properly season wood, is a bit much to ask in the wood selling business. Best to get your wood at least a year ahead of when you want to burn it, stack it off the ground with space between rows so it can dry & be ready to burn next season. It has to be "Split" & "Stacked" off the ground to season well.
If you want to be sure your wood is seasoned you need to have it sit out in your yard for a couple of years. There is no other way to be sure.
bogydave said:
Well said!
What firewood seller has the room and ability to store hundreds of cord neatly stacked, off the ground, in single rows and covered for a year or two? They would have to charge twice the price. Would you buy it at twice the price?
Besides, they have to compete with other wood sellers. If they used the same definition of "seasoned" as we do here, everyone would buy from their competition.
Ken
fireview2788
Minister of Fire
I'm in SW Ohio and the wood I c/s/s last April is ready to burn. It was an Ash tree that was dead but water was squeezed out when we split it so it was wet. I've tossed a couple of pieces in the stove and it burned great but I'm saving it for next year because I'm ahead. Anyway, if they are blaming the wet summer then they are making a lame excuse because they likely had it cut but not split so they can CLAIM it's was seasoned.....NOT.
fv
fv
I'd like to give the sellers the benefit of the doubt in that they really thought the wood was good to go. My problem now is trying to find something that I can use this year. My first guy ran out so now I gotta keep searching or eat the high cost of electric heat. Now my wife is starting to complain about all the firewood I've got stacked in the back yard. Not sure I can convince here to stack 10 cords worth to get me a 2-year supply.
bainbridgematt said:
Sure, the wood was "good to go", they had a buyer. It's a free marketplace. "Cavet emptor"
As for what to do now, you can buy more, you pay your money, you take your chances...just make sure to clean your chimney every couple of weeks. Or go buy the biobricks. They may actually be cost competitive although they are twice the price per BTU if you had seasoned wood.
As for convincing your wife, give her the choice: stack the wood or pay the high price of biobricks or electric heat. I don't think there are any alternatives.
Your other choice is to install a pellet stove. Or unvented gas logs and a propane tank.
Ken
Ken45 said:
On the flip side I do have a very large lean-to on the back of my garage. It's probably about 10' by 20' that I could stack in. Just not sure there is enough air flow to get the wood seasoned properly since it's on the north side of the house and is enclosed except along the bottom and where the large door (think single car garage). That would at least hide it from my wife and she wouldn't hate me so much. LOL. Guess i could season out in the side lot where it's out of site and move it over to the lean-to before winter. That's just a a lot of wood moving is all.
bainbridgematt said:
Some people do it, but I would not stack unseasoned wood long term that close to the house. I would be worried about insects.
But you are right, that would be far from ideal for seasoning the wood. Maybe single rows up on skids with a box fan moving air full time? ($$$)
Are you sure you wife would object to some neat stacks in the back yard?
Again, give her the choice: $$$ or some neat stacks of wood.
Ken
Ken45 said:
She doesn't object to a few. She just objects to 60' worth of racks covered with tarps
I'll figure something out with her I'm sure the lean-to on the back of your garage would be PERFECT for wood storage! As long as the ends are open, its not much different from a woodshed! I'm building a woodshed this summer come hell or high water, esp with the precipitation we get anymore here in central PA.bainbridgematt said:
ohlongarm
Minister of Fire
Very few dealers in Northeast Ohio sell honestly seasoned wood,it's not profitable or cost effective. That came from a large firewood dealer in my area who shared that with me.I'm glad I'm at least 3 years out with wood at least 3 years old.
ohlongarm said:
I actually just emailed my first guy and although he is out of wood, he went into a very long spiel about about how stacks and seasons his wood and how he uses a moisture meter to measure the content and only sells once it is down below 20% (must more scientific than the last two guys). I'll be using him for years to come I hope.
bainbridgematt said:
How long does he actually season it between splitting and stacking, and selling it. Spiel alone won't season wood. When he uses the moisture meter, does he split a piece of wood and then measure it?
Ken45 said:
Yes he splits and measures. This is the guy that sold me the wood at the beginning of the season, but won't sell me any more right now because his Split and stacked still isn't a low enough MC.
- Status
Similar threads
